Pupunta ka ba ng Sagada? Basahin muna ito!

Ito ay mga gabay para sa mga nais bumisita sa Sagada. Basahin at intindihin ang mga sumusunod bago tumungo doon:

1. Igalang ang lokal na kultura at pamumuhay ng komunidad. Panatilihin ang distansya mula sa mga ritwal o ano mang mga lugar na tinutukoy na sagrado. Huwag hawakan o buksan ang mga kabaong sa kuweba ng libingan. Huwag tatangkaing sumali o kunan ng litrato o bidyo ang ano mang ritwal na walang direktang pahintulot mula sa namumunong nakatatanda. Huwag abalahin ang Misa sa simbahan o kumuha ng mga bidyo o kaya litrato sa loob at paligid ng simbahan sa oras ng Misa.

2. Igalang ang bawat tao sa komunidad. Ang mga taga-Sagada ay hindi mga eksibit o palabas sa isang museo o zoo. Humingi ng pahintulot bago kumuha ng mga litrato o bidyo ng mga tao, lalo na ang mga nakatatanda. Huwag itanong kung "Nasaan ang mga Igorot?" Kami ang mga Igorot. Sinusuot namin ang mga tradisyunal na kasuotan para sa mga mahalagang okasyon. Huwag ninyo asahan na magpakuha kami ng litrato suot ang bahag o tapis para sa inyo, dahil hindi namin gawain iyon.

3. Kumuha ng mga kinakailangang permit o pahintulot para sa pagkuha ng litrato, pelikula, o panayam sa komunidad para sa pananaliksik. Makipag-ugnayan sa Office of the Mayor at siguraduhing ikaw ay kumuha ng permit at nagbayad ng ano mang mga kinakailangang bayarin. Ang permit na ito ang magtutukoy kung ang iyong aktibidad ay pinapayagan o hindi sa komunidad. Ang mga gabay (guide) ay hindi pinahihintulutan na kumuha ng permit para sa nasaad na mga gawain.

4. Pamahalaan ang iyong mga inaasahan (manage expectations). Ang Sagada ay isang komunidad, hindi isang museo. Kung gusto mong makita ang buhay namin noong unang panahon, may isang mahusay na museo sa Bontoc; bisitahin niyo ito. Huwag isipin o sabihin na "nawala na ang aming kultura" dahil lang sa hindi na kami nabubuhay sa mga tradisyunal na mga bahay o nagsusuot ng wanes at tapis para sa pang-araw-araw. Kami ay mga katutubo at malalim ang aming pagkakakabit sa aming mga tradisyon at kultura. Kami din ay moderno at may pinag-aralan, kumportable sa anumang buhay o propesyonal na kapaligiran na inaalok ng mundo.

5. Maglakad hangga't maaari. Ang paglalakad ay isang mahalagang bahagi ng karanasan sa Sagada. Ang hangin dito ay sariwa at malinis; hindi ka gaanong pagpapawisan. Ang tanawin ay kamangha-mangha, at mas ikalulugod mo ang mga ito kung ikaw ay maglalakad kaysa sa nakasakay ka sa isang metal na kahon. Ang Sagada ay isang maliit na bayan at magkakalapit ang mga lugar dito. Kung ikaw ay lalabas para mamili sa mga tindahan, maglakad ka. Kung ikaw ay pupunta sa mga kainan galing sa hotel, maglakad ka. Kung ang iyong hotel ay nasa labas ng bayan, dalhin lamang ang sasakyan hanggang sa pasukan ng bayan at maglakad ka mula doon. Kung may sapat kang lakas para pumasok ng mga kuweba, mayroon ka din lakas para maglakad papunta sa mga kuweba. Maglakad ka. Mabuti ito para sa iyo, mas masaya, mas marami kang makikita, at makakabawas sa aming problema sa trapiko.

6. Huwag mag-aksaya ng tubig. May kakulangan ng tubig sa Sagada, lalo na sa panahon ng tag-init at mga panahong dagsa ang mga turista. Para matugunan ang mga pangangailang ng mga turista sa pag-konsumo ng tubig, ito ay maaaring humantong sa paggamit ng tubig mula sa aming mga bukid at palayan kung saan ito ay lubhang kinakailangan para sa aming mga pananim. Kung ikaw ay aakyat ng mga bundok o papasok sa mga kweba, mas mainam na maligo ka pagkatapos at hindi bago pumunta. Mangyaring maligo nang mabilis at magtipid ng tubig.

7. Huwag magkalat ng basura. Ang pagtapon ng basura sa daan o sa ano mang lugar ay kahiya-hiya, at hindi katanggap-tanggap: huwag kang pasaway. Sa kasalukuyan, ang Sagada ay walang municipal waste disposal system; bawat pamilya at negosyo ang nangangalaga ng sarili nitong basura. Kaya bawasan niyo ang basura niyo. Hangga't maaari, kung ano ang dala ninyong basura ay dapat dalhin ito pag-alis para maitapon sa tamang lugar.

8. Maging mabait sa mga taong namamahala ng mga kainan. Maliliit ang mga kusina ng mga kainan namin, at hindi namin kaya magluto para sa marami. Kapag sinabi naming wala na kaming maihahain na pagkain, ito ay nangangahulugang naubos na ang pinamili namin noong araw ng palengke. Hindi kami naghahain ng mga pagkaing linggo o kaya buwan na nakatago sa freezer. Para makakuha ng mas mahusay na serbisyo, mag-order kayo ng pagkain ng hindi bababa sa 3 o 4 na oras bago kayo kumain. Sa ganoong paraan, mayroon kaming sapat na oras para ihanda ang iyong pagkain at maihain ito agad pagdating mo sa kainan.

9. Maging responsable sa paggamit ng sasakyan. Ang aming mga kalye ay makitid, at ang pagparada sa daan ay lumilikha ng malubhang problema sa trapiko. Sa katunayan, ang pagparada sa daan ay ipinagbabawal ng lokal na ordinansa. Sundin ang mga batas, kahit na hindi sumusunod and iba o kaya ay may magsabi sayo na maaari kang pumarada dahil pag bawal ay bawal. Kung sinabihan kang umatras o tumabi para makadaan ang ibang sasakyan, lalo na ang mga bus, makisama ka. Kung ang pagparada mo ay nakakaharang sa trapiko, umalis ka at ilipat mo ang sasakyan mo sa tamang paradahan. Huwag magsakay o magbaba sa gitna ng daan. Tumabi ka para makadaan ang ibang sasakyan.

10. Tulungan kaming mapanatili kang ligtas. Ang Sagada ay isang bayan sa kabundukan na puno ng mga yungib, bangin, kanyon, sapa at mga gubat. Ang mga ito ay magaganda, pero maari ka ring madisgrasya o kaya ay mawala. Ginagawa namin ang lahat ng aming makakaya para panatilihin kang ligtas, pero kailangan din namin ang tulong mo. Kailangan mong umupa ng gabay (guide) bago ka payagang pumasok sa kweba. Para ito sa kaligtasan mo, hindi para kumita kami. Mangyaring nakarehistrong gabay (accredited guide) lang ang upahan, at respetuhin ang nakatakdang bilang ng bisita sa bawat gabay (guide to guest ratio). Hindi namin pinapayagan ang mga bata o minor de edad na maging gabay, para sa kanilang kaligtasan at para na rin sa iyo. Mangyaring huwag umupa ng mga bata bilang gabay. Iniririkuminda din namin ang mga gabay para sa paglalakad o pamumundok. Kung talagang pinili mong maglakad nang walang gabay, maging responsable ka at sabihan mo ang mga tao sa guest house kung saan mo planong pumunta at kung anong oras mo planong bumalik. Magdala ka ng mobile phone at siguraduhing may listahan ka ng mga emergency number. Kung mangyari ang di inaasahan at mawala ka, hahanapin ka namin, anumang oras ng araw o gabi at sa anumang panahon. Pag-alam namin kung saan magsisimula, magiging malaki itong tulong sa amin. Kung balak mong matulog sa ibang lugar, makipag-ugnayan sa guest house mo at ipaalam sa kanila ang iyong balak, dahil sila ay magbibigay-ulat na nawawala ka at kami ay lalabas para hanapin ka.

11. Maging disente sa ano mang paraan. Ang Sagada ay isang maliit at konserbatibong bayan, at ito ang nais namin. Maaaring huwag magsuot ng mga damit na para sa pamamasyal sa dagat, at huwag rin magpapakita ng mga pisikal na ekspresyon na maaaring magpahayag ng malisya sa publiko. Hindi kami kilala para sa nightlife: sarado na ang mga tindahan sa Sagada ng alas-10 ng gabi. Kung gusto mong mag-party sa gabi, humanap ka nalang ng ibang lugar na pupuntahan. Walang commercial sex dito, kaya huwag nang mag-aksaya ng oras sa paghahanap nito.

12. Tumulong sa pagpapanatili ng ang ating kapaligiran. Lahat ng mga bisita (turista at hindi residente ng Sagada) ay dapat magrehistro sa Municipal Tourist Information Center at magbayad Php35.00 para sa Environmental Fee. Ang iyong resibo ay titignan bago ka pumasok sa mga kuweba at iba pang mga lugar na dinadayo ng turista.  

Ang mga panuntunang ito ay inihanda ni Steve Rogers at Tracey Santiago, at isinalin namin ni Tracey sa Filipino. Ito ang orihinal na latha sa Ingles:
These guidelines were prepared by Steve Rogers and Tracey Santiago, which Tracey and I translated to Filipino. Here is the original English text:

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR VISITORS OF SAGADA 
by Steve Rogers and Tracey Santiago

1. Please respect the culture. Keep a distance from rituals or any sites you are told are sacred. Do not touch or disturb coffins or burial sites. Do not attempt to join or film any ritual without direct permission from the presiding elders. Do not disturb mass in the church or shoot videos/photos in or around the church during mass.

2. Please respect the people. Sagadans are not exhibits in a museum or zoo. Ask permission before taking pictures or video of people, especially elders. Please don’t ask us “where are the Igorots”. We are the Igorots. We do dress in traditional clothing for special occasions, but please don’t expect any of us to pose in traditional clothing for pictures, because we don’t do that.

3. Please secure necessary permits. If you need to do field research, interviews in the community, conduct pictorials or film anyone and any place in Sagada, please go to the Office of the Mayor and make sure you secure a permit and pay any necessary fees. This permit will determine if your activity is allowed or not in the community. Guides are not allowed to secure any permit for such activities.

4. Please manage your expectations. Sagada is a community, not a museum. If you want to see the way we lived a century ago, there’s an excellent museum in Bontoc; please visit it. Don’t think, or say, that we have “lost our culture” because we no longer live in traditional houses or dress daily in wanes and tapis. We are indigenous people and we are deeply attached to our traditions and culture. We are also modern, well educated people who are comfortable in any living or professional environment the world offers.

5. Please walk whenever possible. Walking is an essential part of the Sagada experience. The air here is cool and clean; you won’t get all sweaty. The views are spectacular, and you’ll enjoy them more on foot than crammed into a metal box. Sagada is a small town and places are close together. If you are going out to browse the shops, walk. If you are going from a hotel to a restaurant, walk. If your hotel is outside the town, drive to the edge of town and walk. If you’re strong enough to walk through the caves, you’re strong enough to walk to the caves. Walk. It’s good for you, you’ll see and enjoy more, and you’ll help reduce our traffic problem.

6. Please conserve water. Sagada suffers from water shortages, especially during dry season and periods of peak tourist flow. This can lead to diversion of water from our farms and rice terraces, where it is desperately needed, to support tourism. If you are going hiking or caving, bathe after, not before. Please bathe quickly and with as little water as you can.

7. Please manage your garbage. Littering and tossing garbage outdoors are unacceptable and disgraceful: just don’t do it. Sagada has no municipal waste disposal system; every household and business has to manage its own waste output. Try to minimize the garbage you generate. As much as possible, what comes here with you should leave with you.

8. Please be kind to the people in our kitchens. Our restaurants are small kitchens that can only handle a few meals. When we say, we don’t have food anymore, it means the stock we bought during the market day have already run out. We don’t serve food frozen from weeks or months ago. To get better service, order your food at least 3 or 4 hours before your meal. That way, we have more time to prepare your food and serve it as soon as you arrive in the restaurant.

9. Please use your vehicle responsibly. Our streets are narrow, and on-street parking creates a serious traffic problem. Parking on the street is prohibited by local ordinance. Please follow the law, even when others don’t or if someone tells you it’s ok to park on the street. If you’re asked to back up or pull to the side of the road to allow passage of a bus or other oncoming vehicles, please cooperate. If you are parked in a way that obstructs traffic, move. Do not load/unload in the middle of a road. Pull to the side so that other vehicles can pass.

10. Please help us keep you safe. Sagada is a mountain town filled with caves, cliffs, canyons, streams and forests. They are beautiful but people can and do get hurt or lost. We do our best to keep you safe, but we need your help. Guides are required in the caves for your safety, not for our profit. Please hire accredited guides and respect the prescribed guide to guest ratio. We do not allow children to guide, for their safety and yours, so please do not hire children as guides. We strongly recommend guides for hiking or exploring. If you choose to hike without a guide, please be responsible and tell your guest house where you plan to go and what time you plan to be back. Bring a mobile phone and make note of emergency phone numbers. If you go missing we will look for you, at any time of the day or night and in any weather. Knowing where to start is a huge help. If you plan to sleep somewhere other than your guest house, get in touch and let them know, because they will report you missing and we will go out looking for you.

11. Please be modest. This is a small, conservative town, and we like it that way. Please save the revealing clothing for the beach, and save the displays of affection for your private space. We are not known for nightlife: business in Sagada closes at 10PM. If you like to party all night that’s fine, but you’ll have to do it somewhere else. There is no commercial sex here, so please don’t waste your time looking for it.

12. Please give your share to help us preserve our environment. All visitors (tourists, non-Sagada residents) must register at the Municipal Tourist Information Center and pay Php35.00 for the Environmental Fee. Your receipt will be checked upon entering caves and other tourist areas.

Ifugao: Plant rice at the Mayoyao Rice Terraces! Pfukhay ad Majawjaw 2012!

The Pochon Group is once again inviting everyone to join the Pfukhay ad Majawjaw (rice planting in Mayoyao) to be held from January 20-22, 2012 at Barangay Bongan, Mayoyao, Ifugao. This activity will be hosted by the Pochon and Maanichar Centennial Batch Association (Pochon Group) and the community of Barangay Bongan. Other partner organizations include the Mayoyao Tourguides and Indigenous Knowledge Holders Allied Organization (MATIKHAO) and the Akha’kha-emeh Cultural Performing Group.


During the tour, participants get to plant rice in the rice terraces, watch a cultural presentation showcasing the local dances of Mayoyao, learn how the traditional Mayoyao house is contructed and many more. Homestay accommodation will also be offered on the second night of the tour (January 21).

Tour cost is Php3,900 and includes meals, accommodation, transportation within Ifugao and activities. It does not include transportation from Manila to Santiago, Isabela; and from Banaue, Ifugao to Manila. Add Php450 to your deposit so Pochon can do the Banaue-Manila reservation for you. Contact Josh Nalliw at josh21020@gmail.com or +639065308242 for inquiries.

January 19, 2012 (Thursday)
9:00 p.m. - Depart Manila via Victory Liner Bus, Kamias/Kamuning Terminal (purchase your own ticket to Santiago, Isabela)

January 20, 2012 (Friday)
5:00 a.m. - Arrive at Santiago City (Victory Liner Terminal)
- Travel to Mayoyao via the Ifugao towns of Aguinaldo and Alfonso Lista (Pochon Group will be waiting at the terminal)
6:30 a.m. - Breakfast at Ubao, Aguinaldo, Ifugao
10 a.m. - Arrive at Mayoyao, Ifugao (room assignments and rest)
12:00 noon - Lunch at the lodge
1:00 p.m. - Orientation followed by visit to Akakoy Nature Park, demo on native house construction and visit the Mayoyao Museum
5:00 p.m. - Roaming around the town plaza and shopping for souvenirs
7:00 p.m. - Dinner at the lodge

January 21, 2012 (Saturday)
7:00 a.m. - Breakfast at the lodge (pack things for transfer to homestays later in the day)
8:00 a.m. - Proceed to Barangay Bongan and join the rice planting
12:00 noon - Lunch with the community
1:00 p.m. - Trek to Abfo’or burial tomb and down to Mapawoy Rice Terraces Cluster
5:00 p.m. - Homestay assignments
7:00 p.m. - Dinner with respective host families
8:00 p.m. - Cultural presentation

January 22, 2012 (Sunday)
7:00 a.m. - Breakfast (pack-up for trip to Banaue)
8:30 a.m. - Visit to Chu’it Viewpoint
10:00 a.m. - Travel to Banaue
12:00 noon - Lunch
3:00 p.m. - Arrival at Banaue, Ifugao (free time)
8:00 p.m. - Depart for Manila via Florida Bus Liner

January 23, 2012 (Monday)
Between 4 to 5 a.m. - Arrival in Manila, Florida Bus Terminal, Lacson St. cor. Espana Avenue, Sampaloc, Manila

For more information on the tour, read Rice planting experience in Mayoyao, Ifugao.

Ifugao: Trek to Batad Rice Terraces & Batad accommodation

The Batad Rice Terraces are among the most spectacular of the Ifugao Rice Terraces. And aptly so since it's one of the five rice terrace clusters inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List under Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras. The other four are Bangaan, Hungduan, Mayoyao and Nagacadan. I've see the first three. And finally, I've been able to trek to Batad! Which leaves just Nagacadan on my list of rice terraces to visit.

We took the late evening bus to Banaue and arrived early the next morning. As soon as we arrived, we purchased our bus tickets home since demand is really high and we wanted to make sure we had our tickets back. For more information on getting there, read How to get to and from Banaue, Ifugao.

We then proceeded to the Banaue Hotel, the best accommodation in Banaue, where we stayed for the night. I spent the rest of the day catching up on sleep so that I'd have the energy to trek the next day. I actually spent the whole time at Banaue Hotel where I had all my meals, including the buffet dinner, since I was just too exhausted to go out.


Banaue Hotel is one of two places where you can hire accredited jeeps and guides at fixed rates. Be careful dealing with unaccredited guides and transportation since there have been not so nice stories from guests that were cheated or abandoned. The jeep to the Batad Saddle costs Php2500 while the guide fee is Php900.

The trip to the Batad Saddle was about an hour and thirty minutes. Unfortunately, it had been rainy the past few days. And since the road to the Batad Saddle is quite bad, when it rains, it can become impassable to vehicles. So we had to get off our jeep and walk a few more hundred meters up to the Batad Saddle.


Good thing, it's mostly downhill to the Batad Rice Terraces from the Batad Saddle. It takes another hour of trekking to get to Batad. I noticed the road was being widened and it seemed like they were building a road all the way to Batad Village.

One thing which is sad about Ifugao is that despite the fact it's one of the provinces most visited by foreign tourists, the roads are still bad. Maybe because foreigners don't vote? Well, it's part of the experience I guess. But the rice terraces deserve better roads. But it must come with stringent development safeguards to ensure that the rice terraces outside Banaue are protected and preserved even when infrastructure to get there is improved, so that they don't suffer the fate of Banaue.

At the entrance to Batad Village is a tourist information booth where visitors log and pay a donation to the community. It also offers a really great view of the Batad Rice Terraces. While many visitors stay overnight, we had to rush back to Banaue to catch our bus back to Manila. So after having lunch at Simon's Place (I had the Batad version of pizza), we made our trek back up. And that's the hard part!

But I did make it up in one piece and we finally got on board our jeep for the bumpy trip back to Banaue. We had about two hours to spare before our bus left, just enough time to freshen up and get a quick snack. Despite that quick stay, the trip to Batad was most worth it.

Where to stay in Batad
The accommodation in Batad is quite basic and not that many. Note also that mobile signal in Batad is close to none. So to book a place, send an SMS/text message and wait for the lodge to respond. Calling them would be difficult. Here's a list of places to stay in Batad Village:
Hillside Inn +63 (929) 1268340
Kadangyan Homestay +63 (920) 4686307
Ramon's Homestay +63 (929) 6124423
Rita's Mountain View Inn +63 (910) 8423076
Simon's Viewpoint Inn +63 (930) 5077467
Batad Pension +63 (921) 7371745
Cristina's Main Village Inn +63 (906) 9773771

For some activities in the area, you can visit some of my previous posts on Banaue, Hungduan, and Mayoyao. And here's a list of Banaue hotels and budget accomodation.

Banaue Hotel and Youth Hostel
+63 (74) 3864087 / 3864088

Kalinga: Chico Dam & Chico River

Kalinga is most popular for whitewater rafting. I'll do that one of these days. But unfortunately, for this trip, I could only go sightseeing. From Tuguegarao, I drove to Tabuk which was about an hour and thirty minutes away.


On the way to the Kalinga Provincial Capitol, there is a souvenir store that sells traditional Kalinga cloth and other cultural items. Nothing much to see in in downtown Tabuk. But if you drive further down the road, you'll see the Chico Dam and a nice view of the Chico River.

Kalinga also has some rice terraces including the Tinglayan, Lubo and Mangali Rice Terraces which I hope to visit in the future. It also played a role in our nation's history since President Emilio Aguinaldo passed by the province en route to Palanan, Isabela. I just not sure if the areas that served as his headquarters are well-maintained and worth visiting particularly Aguinaldo Hill.

Apayao: Ruins of old Pudtol Church

Apayao does not have that many attractions. But I was told its has old church ruins. And one of them is in the Pudtol Church in the town of Pudtol, which you can access via the northern part of Cagayan. So from Ilocos Norte, I drove to Cagayan, then to Apayao.


Pudtol is about 20 kilometers from the junction of the National Highway. It was just a quick visit. So after taking photos, I drove back to Cagayan en route to Kalinga.

Abra: Tayum Church, Bangued Cathedral & the Gabriela Silang Monument

Abra was the first province on my recent 1800-kilometer around North Philippines. I left Manila the previous evening and arrived in Abra just in time for sunrise. The roads were in relatively good condition and the views of the mountains, rice fields and the Abra River were picturesque.

Welcoming the visitor is a tunnel that was cut through a mountain. Above the tunnel entrance is the seal of Abra. Right beside the tunnel is a monument of Gabriela Silang. But I decided to stop on the way back since it was still a bit dark.



My first stop for the day was the Tayum Church, a National Cutlural Treasure. Tayum is about 10 minutes away from Bangued. Mass was still ongoing when I arrived.

According to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the Tayum Church or Church of Santa Catalina de Alejandria was built in the 19th century by the secular clergy among the Christianized Tinguians. Notice also the convento which is actually across the church.


From Tayum, I motored back to Bangued to visit the Bangued Cathedral. On the way, I was pleased to see some ancestral houses still standing. Many of these houses are made of brick, both first and second floors.



The Bangued Cathedral is also relatively preserved. Right beside it is its old convento which is now a school. But there is another church worth visiting and this is the Bangued Cemetery Chapel. Unfortunately, it was locked. So I wasn't able to see the interior.


On the way back down to Ilocos Sur, I stopped by the Gabriela Silang Monument in San Quintin. As we all know, Gabriela Silang was an insurgent leader who led the Ilocano freedom movement after the assassination of her husband Diego Silang on May 28, 1763. She was captured and executed by the Spanish on September 29, 1763.

Benguet: Baguio reinvents itself as an adventure destination!

Are you sure you've seen the best of Baguio? Think again! Baguio is now promoting itself, together with its neighboring towns, as an adventure destination. These Benguet towns are collectively called BLISTT (Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay). Add Bokod, Benguet to the list as well, with Ambuklao Dam.

With Baguio as a jump-off point, you can kayak or river surf at the Ambuklao Dam and Tuba, visit the Balatoc Mines in Itogon, go rock climbing, river hiking, bouldering, rappelling, or ride an ATV in Camp 3, hike up Mount Pulag in Bokod and Kabayan, fish by the Agno River, or go spelunking at the Ambongdolan Caves in Tublay. Baguio City itself is also becoming a major airsoft destination. There are simply so many choices!


We went off-road go-karting along one of the rough roads by the Agno River. If we had more time, we could have tried out more stuff.

All this is being organized by the Baguio Convention and Visitors Bureau (BCVB). And what's good about this new service is you can plan an adventure with style, with your own butler and waiters setting up alfresco dining for you! They even had a bar for the group!

Baguio's adventure tours are still in its infancy. And it's exciting to see how this develops. I hope I get to visit again to really try all of these cool activities.

Baguio Convention and Visitors Bureau
+63 74 4424088

Baguio: Panagbenga Festival 2010 Calendar of Events

Panagbenga Festival 2010 promises to be even bigger. The Baguio Flower Festival has already begun and continues to attract visitors to Baguio City, the Summer Capital of the Philippines. Here is a list of major events this year:

• February 14: Fluvial Parade featuring Camelot on the Lake, Burnham Park
• February 26-28: Abanao Nights, Abanao Square
• February 27: Grand Street Parade, Session Road to Athletic Bowl
• February 28: Grand Float Parade, Session Road to Athletic Bowl
• March 1-7: Session Road in Bloom, Session Road

Baguio: The Manor at Camp John Hay prepares a dinner feast!

The Manor at Camp John Hay served the most memorable dinner during the entire Lakbay Norte trip. You have to give it to the Baguio Convention and Visitors Bureau (BCVB) for preparing a feast for us. And welcoming us to the dinner was none other than Baguio City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista, Jr.

Also there to welcome us was Atty. Damaso Bangaoet, Jr., the father of the Panagbenga Festival which is being held this month.


And to make sure the food was nothing but perfect, renowned chef Billy King, the man who brought Le Soufflé to Manila and now the secret behind the gastronomic magic of The Manor in Camp John Hay's Le Chef Restaurant, personally supervised his staff of chefs and waiters.



It was indeed a grand selection that included soup, salad, sushi and sashimi, juicy roast beef slices, grilled meats and vegetables on skewers, bowls of Mongolian barbecue, home-made sausages with salsa, and irresistible desserts (it was strawberry overload), more than enough to fill our stomachs. After our third or fourth servings, we all gave up!

For the night, I also stayed at The Manor. The rooms were spacious, cozy, and nicely layed-out. I wish we could have slept longer. But we had to be up early the next day. Breakfast would have also been a feast! But I wasn't able to enjoy it due to our tight schedule.

The Manor, Camp John Hay
+63 74 4240931 to 43 / 50 to 53
+63 2 8450892 / 8450911
reservations@cjhhotels.com

Ifugao: How to get to and from Banaue, Ifugao

Banaue, Ifugao is the main jump-off point for various attractions in Ifugao and Mountain Province. It has become a major backpacker town and has seen an influx of foreign visitors in recent years. It has a decent hotel as well as several lodges and budget accommodation. Banaue is an attraction itself with its picturesque rice terraces as seen from the Banaue View Point.

Among the popular destinations you could reach via Banaue are the Batad Rice Terraces, Bangaan Village, and the Hungduan, Hapao and Mayoyao Rice Terraces (all UNESCO World Heritage inscribed rice terrace clusters) and Sagada, Mountain Province.

To/from Metro Manila, GV Florida and Autobus have daily trips to Banaue. Here is the daily schedule of trips:

GV Florida Transport (Php450)
22:45 Manila to Banaue
20:00 Banaue to Manila
Manila Booking - (02) 7433809
Banaue Booking - (074) 3864042

Autobus Transport Systems (Php400)
22:00 Manila to Banaue
18:30 Banaue to Manila
Manila Booking - (02) 4934111
Banaue Booking - (0929) 7663494 / (0915) 9849266

To/from Clark Airport is a bit complicated. One option is to hop on a bus to Baguio right at the Clark Airport, and catch a bus to Banaue early the next day (unless you can catch the last evening bus at 9:30 p.m.). Or you can take a bus to Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija also at the Clark Airport, catch a bus to Cagayan Valley (Tuguegarao, Cagayan or Isabela) in Cabanatuan and get off at Solano, Nueva Vizcaya. From Solano, you can easily find transportation to Banaue. The third option is to take a bus to Manila and and catch the bus to Banaue from there.

To/from Baguio City, trips on Dangwa, KMS (Php415) and Ohayami are daily and last about 8 hours. Here is the daily schedule of trips:

Baguio to Banaue
08:00 Ohayami
08:00 KMS
19:00 Dangwa
20:00 Ohayami
21:30 KMS

Banaue to Baguio
06:45 Ohayami
07:00 Dangwa
07:00 KMS
16:30 Ohayami
18:00 KMS

Banaue Hotel jeepney hire rates and tour guide fees
The good thing about hiring jeeps and guides from the Banaue Hotel is that you can pay via credit card. Here are the standard rates for some of the popular destinations:

Banaue Operators and Drivers Association standard rates
Banaue Viewpoint - Php800
Bangaan Village - Php2,000
Batad Saddle Amphitheater - Php2,500
Hapao Rice Terraces - Php2,000
Hungduan Rice Terraces - Php2,500
Hiwang Village - Php900
Poitan Village - Php700
Bontoc Museum - Php3,000
Sagada Caves - Php4,000
Mayoyao Rice Terraces - Php4,000
Mt. Data and Sagada - Php5,500
Lagawe - Php1,700
Kiangan - Php2,200

Banaue Tour Guide Organization standard rates
Banaue Viewpoint Trek - Php700
Poitan Village - Php500
Bangaan Village - Php650
Batad Rice Terraces - Php900
Batad plus Tappiyah Falls - Php1,200
Batad and Bangaan Trek - Php1,200
Hapao Rice Terraces - Php650
Hapao plus Hot Spring - Php750
Hungduan Rice Terraces - Php750
Mayoyao Rice Terraces (escort fee) - Php750
Kiangan Rice Terraces - Php850

For some activities in the area, you can visit some of my previous posts on Banaue, Hungduan, and Mayoyao. And here's a list of Banaue hotels and budget accomodation.

Ifugao: Trip from Mayoyao to Banaue

Ifugao's roads may be rough. But the scenery is bliss. The trip is about five hours. But passing through the different villages makes you feel no doubt that you are in Ifugao. We left Mayoyao at about 10 a.m. for our journey to Banaue. Along the way, you get to see other Mayoyao villages and rice terrace clusters tucked securely in the grand mountains of the Cordilleras.

We had lunch in Mayoyao's last barangay before crossing the border bridge to Banaue. I remember the view from the bridge was very fascinating. But the road was currently being paved and the sides of the mountain was full of rubble all the way down due to the blasting.


Ducligan, the first barangay, was the backdrop of the Filipino movie Mumbaki. The village worth stopping at is Bangaan. The Bangaan Rice Terraces are inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras.

If only we had time, I would have wanted to trek down to the village. Maybe next time. Also along the way is the jump-off point to another UNESCO-inscribed cluster, the Batad Rice Terraces. Sadly, you can't see it from the road and it requires a hike up and down a mountain to the opposite side.

We finally made it to Banaue at about 3 p.m. We went straight to the Banaue View Point. There are actually several places to view the Banaue Rice Terraces. One of them, the NFA-Aguian View Deck is the actual view found in the 1000-peso bill.


Further up the road is the Engineers Viewpoint where the marker of the American Society of Civil Engineers and Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers declaring the Ifugao Rice Terraces as an International Historical Civil Engineering Landmark can be found. But an even better view is further up the road. Just keep on going and once you hit a cluster of stores, that's it.

Anyway, we had dinner at Imbayah Restaurant at the Banaue Hotel, one of my favorite places to eat in Banaue, while waiting for our bus back to Manila. the GV Florida bus leaves at 8 p.m.

How to get to and from Banaue
Read How to get to and from Banaue, Ifugao

Where to eat and stay in Banaue
Banaue has a lot of accommodation to fit every budget. And most of the lodges have their own restaurants conveniently located at the ground floor of their establishments. Being a backpacker town, the lodges can also arrange trips, guides and transportation for you. Here's a list of Banaue hotels and budget accommodation:

Banaue Hotel and Youth Hostel
Imbayah Restaurant
Standard Php2,300; De Luxe Php3,000; Suite Php6,000
Hostel Php200/person (student); Php250/person (non-student)
+63 74 3864087 / 3864088
sales@philtourism.gov.ph

People's Lodge and Restaurant
Common Php400 (twin bed); Php600 (double bed)
Private Php500 (single room) to Php1,800 (8 pax/room)
+63 74 3864014
+63 9195325605
jerwin_t@yahoo.com

Wonder Lodge
Common Php200 (single); Php150/person (double)
Private Php250 (single); P200/person (double)
+63 906 8133822

Uyami's Greenview Lodge and Restaurant
Common Php250/person
Private Php900
+63 74 3864021
+63 920 5404225
ugreenview12@yahoo.com.ph

Las Vegas Lodge and Restaurant
Common Php200/person
Family Php150/person (9 pax)
+63 918 4409932
jappanjesus@yahoo.com

Related entry
How to get to and from Banaue, Ifugao

Ifugao: Back in the Mayoyao Rice Terraces

Mayoyao is not easy to visit. But its rice terraces are definitely worth the long trip. I was glad to be back to visit the Mayoyao Rice Terraces.

For Day 2, we trekked up and down some of the different points of interest in the town. After breakfast, a quick visit to the Mayoyao Museum and logging our names at the local police station, we hiked up to the Acacoy Nature Park.


Then we trekked down to the highway and up again Brgy. Chaya to visit the Chaya Terraces Cluster. We had lunch in Brgy. Chaya composed of boiled native chicken, watercress and gabi leaves (as I mentioned in a previous post, the regular meal in Mayoyao is usually boiled). After lunch, we made our way down Chaya and trekked further down to Brgy. Bongan for a view of the Bongan Terraces Cluster and a visit to the the Abfo'or Burial Tomb.

By mid-afternoon, we had already trekked for more than five hours. So everyone was yearning for another afternoon nap to recharge. Later in the evening we watched a demonstration on how the Mayoyao native house is constructed.

Part 1: Rice planting experience in Mayoyao, Ifugao

Ifugao: Rice planting experience in Mayoyao, Ifugao

Mayoyao, Ifugao called me back. I had previously made that long trip to the Mayoyao Rice Terraces for the rice harvest tour. This time, I was at the rice planting (pfukhay ad Majawjaw) tour as part of out-of-classroom learning activities for my students. It's the real FarmVille!

We had taken an evening bus to Santiago, Isabela and arrived early in the morning. From there, it was a five-hour rough road ride up to Mayoyao, through the towns of Alfonso Lista and Aguinaldo which were previously part of Mayoyao. We had to deal with a flat tire along the way. But that was part of the adventure.


As soon as we arrived in Mayoyao, we dropped off our bags at our lodge and proceeded immediately to the Mapawoy Terraces Cluster to plant rice. We were really late so they had started planting already by the time we got there. But they waited for us before they slaughtered the pig. You should have seen the faces of my students as they observed this inherent part of the Ifugao culture.


Right after that, we went straight to the paddies. One by one, my students stepped in the mud. The initial shrieks as they made their first steps in the slippery mud slowly changed to delight as we planted the rice seedlings into the soft ground.

We had the pig for lunch of course which was boiled with salt and eaten with rice and the pork broth, the traditional way meals are prepared and served in Mayoyao.

It was quite a hike back to the road and we went straight to the lodge to take a nap since we hadn't gotten any rest from the long trip since we arrived.



We woke up just in time for dinner and a cultural show. Before calling it a night, we chewed on moma (nganga or betel nut).

Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know that there will be another rice planting tour next month hosted by the Pochon Group in Mayoyao from February 19 to 21. Contact Josh Nalliw at josh21020@gmail.com or +63 906 5308242 for inquiries. It's definitely better than FarmVille! It's the real thing!

Here are my blog entries on the rice harvest tour two years ago:
Part 1: Trip to Mayoyao, Ifugao
Part 2: Mayoyao Rice Terraces in Ifugao
Part 3: Rice harvest experience in Mayoyao, Ifugao
Part 4: Trekking along the rice terraces of Mayoyao
Part 5: Journey across the Ifugao heartland

Christmas Edition (Issue 4) of Northbound Magazine is out!

We talk about the Belenismo of Tarlac, Giant Lantern Festival, Sinukwan Festival, Christmas shopping and more in Issue 4 of Northbound Magazine, your free quarterly travel guide to North Philippines (Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, the Cordilleras and Central Luzon). It will be available in hotels, restaurants and information centers around the region beginning next week. This magazine is a publication of the North Philippines Visitors Bureau. You can download the online version here.

Previous issues
Issue 1 (Q1 2009)
Issue 2 (Q2 2009)
Issue 3 (Q3 2009)

Alternate route to Baguio

Alternate routes to Baguio are being sought due to the worsening traffic along MacArthur Highway. I don't know for how many years they've been trying to repair the roads in Urdaneta, Pangasinan. But they never finish it. And it gives me the impression that they don't intend to and that they'll keep constructing until they milk government coffers dry. As a result, traffic there is horrible and it can delay you for as much as an hour especially during the day time.

One option is the Magilas Trail via Rosales, Sta. Maria, Asingan and back to MacArthur Highway at Binalonan. This bypasses the traffic in Villasis and Urdaneta City.

But another option is to take an alternate route from the Tarlac City SCTEx Exit itself. Instead of making a left back to MacArthur Highway, I made a right and took the alternate route to Baguio via La Paz, Victoria, Guimba, Cuyapo connecting to the Magilas Trail in Rosales. This skips traffic along MacArthur Highway from Tarlac City all the way to Binalonan, Pangasinan.

It's a bit longer but faster. Roads are relatively good plus vehicles are scarce. So there's less stress driving since I didn't have to worry about driving in crawling traffic or overtaking slow vehicles except for the occasional tricycles which occur much, much less than along MacArthur Highway. Travel time from the Tarlac City SCTEx Exit to MacArthur Highyway in Binalonan (97.4 kilometers total) via this alternate route is under two hours.

What's good about the route is that it's clearly marked by directional signs both ways. On the way to Baguio, just make sure you pick the route via Guimba as you exit Victoria since the other option via Pura, Ramos and Paniqui will bring you back to MacArthur Highway and Urdaneta City traffic.

Remember though that this alternate route is good only for the day time when traffic is bad along MacArthur Highway. Also make sure you're gas tanks are full and that you've eaten or have supplies on board since there's nothing much along the way. In fact, you don't even pass by town propers except in Victoria, Tarlac and Rosales and Binalonan, Pangasinan.

Going up Baguio, Kennon Road is my choice during the day time and when it's not raining. It's shorter, faster and very scenic. I enjoy the view of its many waterfalls which become all the more evident after it rains.

Sadly, GI sheets started to mushroom all over the place. There are now two houses at the base of Bridal Veil Falls destroying the view. And Camp 6 in Tuba, Benguet is the most horrible! The local government of Tuba should start doing something to protect the wonderful view of this historic road.

Also remember that there is ongoing road rehabilitation in the Camp 8 segment. So Kennon Road is one way in that area. So going back down to Manila, you'll have to pass by Marcos Highway or enter Kennon Road via Loakan.

Related entry
Waterfalls along Kennon Road

Baguio: Baguio heritage in Camp John Hay going gone!

Unbelievable! Greedy! Stupid! That is all I could say when I saw these photos of the original American housing in Camp John Hay flattened to make way for new developments. I used to be so happy that at least Camp John Hay was still an enclave of Baguio heritage and green. But that was until I saw these photos!

It's really stupid. No, really! The new buildings they construct have no connection whatsoever to the history of Baguio. They should stick to the distinctive green and white architecture of the American colonial period. These developers are giving Camp John Hay a serious identity problem. They continue to destroy its unique character. The simple elegance of these decades-old houses would have been unmatched if they had been restored. Now what? Will they build second-rate copies of houses in the Alps?

Jack Carino writes, "More of old Baguio's distinctive green-and-white architecture gone!!! Photos taken January 30, 2009. So not even a toot from conservation activists. I enter Camp John Hay maybe twice or thrice a month to check on the sale of our magazines and I didn't get a clue that this was going on! Probably the demolition was done stealthily? Or traffic was rerouted when this was done?

"Anyway, I think that the Camp John Hay managers have no sense of history and heritage. They will probably build European-inspired structures just like the Manor and the Suites.

"Those vestiges of Baguio's American colonial past should have been preserved and whatever they are going to construct there should be brought to the Baguio outskirts."

Dion Fernandez tells us more, "I spoke to a representative of the John Hay Management Corporation last month, and the demolition job seen in Mr. [Wilson]'s photos is part of their plan to create an exclusive 'playground of the rich,' which runs contradictory to 'quiet dignity' as promised in the turnover manuscript posted over at the Bell House. A luxury neighborhood is expected to rise where those simple houses have fallen. The only American Heritage area left would be the so-called 'Historical Core,' which unfortunately will also eventually be 'developed' as per the architectural plans found on a balcony also outside Bell House.

"Meanwhile, I have seen the plans of the Ayala Corporation to put up a massive BPO building within Camp John Hay. Yes, it is a concrete/glass structure. Yes, pine trees will be destroyed to make way for this behemoth."

Isn't that just horrible? There are just a few pristine areas left in Baguio City. Let's preserve what's left of the heritage and environment of Baguio, especially those wonderful pine trees!

Many thanks to Ronald Hilton for taking and allowing me to use the photos and to Jack Carino for forwarding them to the HCS. At least we know now the stupidity that is happening in Camp John Hay. It's time for Baguio citizens to be vigilant! Wake up Baguio! Let's put an end to this nonsense!

Related articles
Is Baguio a hopeless case?

Baguio: Is Baguio a hopeless case?

Baguio City is the only hill station in the Philippines. For those not familiar with hill stations, a hill station in Southeast and South Asian countries is a high-altitude town used especially by European colonialists as a place of refuge from the summer heat. It looks like the Spanish were not into hill stations since it was the Americans who established the first and only hill station in the country. And that’s why we have Baguio City which is celebrating its centennial this year.

Many of these Asian hill stations (such as Simla and Darjeeling in India, Cameron Higlands in Malaysia, Bandung and Bogor in Indonesia, Dalat in Vietnam, and May Myo in Myanmar) were able to preserve their character. But Baguio, sad to say, was not as the destruction of what makes it unique continues as we speak, with the uncontrolled development and short-sightedness of many businessmen who continue to erase the character of the city in the name of progress and wealth generation. I'm sure they're bound to realize that despite all their money, they can no longer bring back Baguio’s charm. I hope they realize that sooner than later.

There are still a few enclaves of Baguio’s original character such as Camp John Hay and the Teachers’ Camp area with towering pine trees and Baguio’s green and white architecture. Those are the colors that define Baguio just like white houses are characteristic of some Greek Mediterranean towns, or the bright pastel colors that define several Latin American capitals.

In fact, we’ve long been telling the city that a quick solution to beautify the deteriorating Baguio landscape is by repainting the houses in former mountain vistas using Baguio’s historical colors: white, brown or pink walls with green roofs. Imagine how Quezon or Aurora Hill would look like if all the houses there followed this color pattern? It would be an attraction in itself and worth taking pictures of, the same way we take pictures of mountain villages in Europe. And we are not reinventing anything since those are Baguio’s colors. Shouldn’t it be that when a tourist sees green and white houses and buildings harmoniously mixed with lush pine trees, one should know that he is in Baguio City?

There was actually a petition that went around on Baguio and it says:
“We believe that the City of Baguio is culturally, environmentally and aesthetically unique and different from other cities in the Philippines. We believe that Baguio is the nerve center of four rich and diverse cultures: the Filipino culture in general, the highland Cordilleran culture, the lowland Ilocano culture, and the heritage culture brought about by the Americans during the early 20th Century.

“We believe that in the past two decades, the City of Baguio has experienced a substantial degradation of its unique culture, environment and art. We believe that the approval of certain politicians with no respect for the aesthetics and the environment of Baguio to put up concrete structures such as malls, overpasses and flyovers only worsens Baguio City's lamentable decay as a "City of Pines." We believe that this overdevelopment and resulting pollution have to stop.

“We believe that due to its unique history and blend of cultures, Baguio can be to the Philippines as Barcelona is to Spain, Chiang Mai is to Thailand, and San Francisco is to the United States: a main center of arts, culture, philosophy, education, tourism, sustainable development and environmental awareness. We believe, therefore, that the City of Baguio deserves to be declared a "Special Heritage Zone," so that the degradation brought about by overdevelopment can be minimized and gradually controlled. We believe that Baguio City's heritage as a center of culture and environmental awareness is a valuable asset not just to the Philippines, but also to the world.

“We now respectfully call on the residents of Baguio and the Filipino people to sign this humble petition, and for the local and national governments concerned to implement and declare Special Heritage status on this unique mountain City as soon as possible, preferably before the Baguio Centennial in 2009, so no further destruction on its limited cultural, environmental and aesthetic resources may continue.”

But one thing about petitions is that while written well, are not addressed or sent to people who can make it happen. Plus the constant follow-ups and lobbying are not done too. So despite the wide and laudable circulation of this petition, I doubt if it has been sent to the right policy and decision makers.

It’s already centennial year and still there’s no one moving. Maybe someone out there is listening; someone who can push the national and city governments to make real efforts to preserve what’s left of Baguio’s charm. That being said, let me say that Baguio is not a hopeless case. Something can still be done. But we all have to realize that it’s the responsibility of all Filipinos to save the character that makes Baguio City uniquely Baguio.

Baguio: Panagbenga 2009, Baguio City in full bloom

Panagbenga, the Baguio Flower Festival, is one of festivals of the country which we can truly consider world-class. I was there two years ago and was excited that I would be able to witness the Flower Float Parade again this year.

We left Manila at 11:45 p.m. last Saturday to make it just in time for the parade Sunday morning. After dropping off our stuff at the hotel, we made our way to Session Road where the crowds were already building up. By 7 a.m., you could no longer move! Good thing I was a special guest this time around so I didn't have to compete with the crowd.

As always, the floats were wonderful and grand! Some of my favorite floats were Baguio Country Club, Greenwich, Abanao Square, Marinduque, PNP and Jollibee. And my favorite drum and bugle corps from the University of Luzon was there as well. Below is a video of the St. Louis University Band playing the Panagbenga march.



The parade lasts about an hour and a half. So if you're in Upper Session Road, it should be done by 10 a.m. while those in the Athletic Bowl don't get to see the tail end until about 11 a.m.

I chanced upon my brod Atty. Dammie Bangaoet, the founder of Panagbenga, during the parade. He must be really proud that fourteen years after they first organized the Panagbenga, the festival is now truly world class!

It was a very quick trip and I left Baguio that same evening. Just some tips, make sure you buy your bus tickets early and ask a friend in Baguio to buy your return ticket in advance so as not to join the throng of people trying to get a ticket. Travel was so convenient for us since we planned ahead. And thanks to Victory Liner's De Luxe buses, trips are so comfortable and really quick.